280 CAUSE OF QUARREL. 



bleeding wounds, every one of them exhibited on 

 some part of their bodies. 



The cause of the quarrel had been the attempt 

 of one of the Wahamas, who had retired with two 

 of our Kafilah men to some little distance from 

 the camp, to appropriate to himself the shield of 

 the old man, when the son of the latter had 

 returned on some errand to the camp. The old 

 man, however, still retained somewhat of the 

 spirit of youth, and after a vain struggle to retain 

 possession of the shield, suddenly let it go, but 

 seizing a spear, hurled it at the thief, just as he 

 was making off with his prize. It was fortunate 

 for him that the weapon was thrown with the 

 trembling hand of age ; for as it was, it inflicted a 

 severe wound a little below the hip, and hung 

 trailing a moment or two before it fell out. 



The man thinking himself more grievously hurt 

 than he was, dropt the shield, and began calling 

 out " Wahama, Wahama," rushing at the same time 

 with his drawn knife upon the old man. The son 

 of the latter, who had returned on the first alarm, 

 ran to the rescue of his father, whilst the Wahama 

 people hastened to the assistance of their friend. 

 A number of the Kafilah people, Hy Soumaulee 

 and half-bloods, now mingled in the fray, whilst 

 those who knew nothing of either party, or were 

 not relations, took no part beyond looking after 

 their own safety. My escort, not knowing how the 

 affair would terminate, sat prepared for any emer- 



